The cultural Activism Network is a platform where upon cultural activists meet to define the logic of time, space and movement. A time to debate, reflect,interogate and discuss the "Art of Activism" from a cultural perspective. For the first time under the banner of Kanya College Cultural Activists are granted an oppertunity to engaged and exchange ideas and stratgies to create an enviroment conducive for the advancement of the arts.

The floor was open to an informal discuss by group coordinator Cde Menzi Mbobani a staff member, activist, fine artist and performer and member of Manofdapast Band while waiting for more activists to come through and share the space.

By definition we all agree that culture is a way of live; how we earn our living; our dress code, social behavior and social relationships. We are also of the view that culture is not static and it changes with time.

Activism on the other hand is the "effective engagement" to facilitate change or transformation of the unwanted, undesirable or for the advancement of a collective interest.

Cultural Activism has been defined as the "wholistic reviving" of the spirit of the masses.

On the Afrikan Continent cultural activism has played a major role in conscientizing the people about themselves in relation to the challenges imposed by colonial and apartheid authorities. The rise of Black Consciouseness was an attribute of cultural activism that emerged when a people could no longer tolerate the humilation, demonizing and condemnation of their languages, traditional practices by the Western authorities. Through the publication of creative writing, visual arts, protests poetry, revolutionary songs and various contemporary music desciplines like afro jazz, maskandi, reggae and iscatamiya folk songs cultural workers were able to mobilize the conscience of the masses in response to devastating social conditions they were faced with.

On the Crises of Resistance Contemporary Cultural activism has taken centre stage since political Independence has been achieved by all Afrikan states, South Afrika been the last country to break the chain of apartheid. In South Afrika today, cultural activism has been retrenched to the latter by the authorities, by creating an enviroment that is not conducive for the development and growth of local arts, leaving the nation soulless and hopeless about their future in the new democratic dispesation.

The systematic silencing of cultural voices is the cause for frustrations thats amounts to self hate and suacidal relationships with the enviroment due to the dominations of foreign influences, beliefs, religious doctrinces and economic systems. As a results we are a nation characterized by predjudice, self pity, self deception, condemnation, isolation, negligence, greed, self centeredness violence and crime - the crises of resistance.

It has been scientifically proven that a conditioned mind, how ever "virtuous" that conditioning , cannot possibly be free and therefore cannot understand reality and the nature of its disorganization.

On the Role and relevance of Cultural Activism now.

As the voice, the eye and ear of society cultural activists believes that they are not mere spectators in this race for socio - economic change. As culture is an incubator for social transformation, we need to use our influence to once again mobilize and centralize the conscience of the massive. We need to campaign for non discriminatory policies. Strive for equality and social change; Renew our social mandate and perspective taking cognition of both old and new cultural heritage. Our prime role is to motivate and inspire the community.

The relevance of cultura activism is the restoration of the moral fibre of our divided society and we are of the understanding that for any economic revolution, there must be a cultural revolution.

Program of Action....

The Cultural Activists Network has met at the Museum Afrika, 4floor, Newtown to define, interrogate, and discuss cultural activism its role and relevance now and has made the following recommendations:

The Cultural Activist must make it a tradition to meet, communicate and interact with each other on a time to time bases.

Adopt the Nguzo Saba Principlas of Ubuntu Familyhood as a social tool to guide our idividual, organizational, family and communty activity.

Members of the network to be proactive, constructive, participative and supportive of each others events, projects or collective interests.

Members to observe and part take in the KWANZAA - "First Friuts Festival" as a way of evaluating of the progress made in transforming the self and community as well as reffirming once commitment to social change and transformation and positive growth and development.

Way Forward

A proposal by veteran cultural activist and author of "IZITHAKAZELO", to use a piece of land on his farm as an way of manifesting collective works and keep on engaging on issues concerning Culture and Activism.

As VDI SENSE LAB INSTITUTE we futher propose collaborative stage works in music, poetry and theatre with a theme relevant to the issues of collective interests and concern.

As SENSE Lab Institute we extent our gratitude to the organizers, to Khanya College and the Staff, to the Cultural Workers and Organizations that participated in the space - maximum respect, more works and more life. The arts is our strength. There can be no crises where there is understanding. Let's choose to learn to know, choose to learn to be, choose to unite and work together... upon time, upon space, upon movement...

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Let us sing a song of revival. Let us get rid of a song of survival. We used to sing a song of survival. We were fighting against apartheid arrival. Now that apartheid had left us to survive. Now is the time that humanity is revived.

I am a choir master who compose music that feeds and rejuvenate the souls of comrades and soldiers, encouraging them to stand up and defend their rights as citizens of the world. Among my choristers I produce soloists whose high pitch vocals pierces the souls of kings and leaders in slumber and command them to wake up and practice justice for the masses.

I am a guitarist in a band of three. My strings produce sound that prunes and revive ligaments, tendons and all the muscles of a forgotten body to stand up and take to the stage where the last man standing takes all.

I am percussionist, I am drummer in a band of three. My beats accelerates and slow down a bit to accommodate all of my fans in their diversity and give them true identity of who they are as human beings.

I am flutist in a band of three. Those who are tormented by demons resort to my music for healing and joy that makes them to regain their confidence.

I am a goal scorer whose superb goals are labels as goals of the century, as they light up stadiums and giving life to the fans who has been yearning for service delivery from a team whose promises are yet to be fulfilled. After my goal the spectators of the team that is yet to deliver wake up and demand change in the line-up for more capable players to take charge.

As a writer I am governor who draws up policies that do away with class in my society and invite the wide spectrum of people to come and participate in the table of decision makers.

Friday, July 30, 2010

There is no xenophobia, it is something they are trying to put in people's mind so they can create that wicked world of slavery. To the black native, Americans, they already solved this problem of racism and tribalism,there is no culture,no tradition in America.

Once ,I was appointed vice chairperson of a sport organization,the chairperson resigned,I supposed to take up that chair,but they told me;you are not a local.It is that xenophobia?

what do i make of the new coallition of patricia de lille and helen zille's parties in the western cape. i'll start with the new reserve bank governoress who undertook as a public relations shabang the gold coining of nadine gordimer's image. they undertook to honour nobel laureates and it fell to the apatheid activist in the arts. the issues here are diverse but first the afrikan issue of white supremacy in top ranking positions of public/corporate leadership. it is time that white people and other non indiginously afrikan nations/people must realize that there is more than 400 years of undoing the errors of (THEIR) crimes against afrika and her people.

You are a sorcerer,I am not a sorcerer.If you are not a sorcerer or witch stop talking in people's mind,stop talking in people's body.He calls himself saviour.Jesus Christ said: I want to see this kind of Jesus Christ,I want to see this kind of saviour.I want to see this kind of new Jesus Christ,this other Jesus Christ.

Down fraud,down fraud.Fraud,could use other people's intelligence,other people's money,other people's blessing,on his or her behalf,or their behalf with his or her lover.Fraud is to take from somebody something,property or belonging without his approval or knowledge,by faking everything.La fraude:c'est derobe',pour eux:c'est enleve' la robe,pour les FRANCAIS: C'est vole'.

Fraud for a french man means :to steal.For a human:It means to take out the dress,to take away the coat,to remove the robe.Down fraud! Down..

The new Jesus Christ said: I don't want to be Jesus Christ.Fraud said,if the new Jesus Christ could agreed on that, we could reigned.The Holy Spirit is in the water,the Holy Spirit is water.The new Jesus Christ,I don't want to die.The saviour.

Papa,j'ai trouve' le sauveur.Dad,I have found the saviour.Fraud said,where is she?Let's go.Where are you going? Everyday you are there.Change,your manners fraud.Good manners,then you can live with people,otherwise go back to church.Otherwise ,we will go back to church.The saviour!

I move around the yard in my home and I come across so many ants that are invading my space without my permission. I fight back by spraying them with any kind of pesticide but I cannot win the battle. The more I spray is the more they increase. Then I feel something like a soft finger touching my brain as if giving me a warning.

I sit down to scrutinize the work of these invaders I have decided to call foreigners. By focussing on the path where they move I notice that it is only few of them who steal the load that has been left by another one who opted for the greener pastures. Many of them work very hard taking the load from the scratch and carry it into the hole.

I shake my head as I think about the disaster I have been trying to achieve using pesticides. I take another look at the ants as I marvel at their perseverance and hard work. Today I have learnt a lesson from the ants, my foreigners that, really, perseverance is the mother of success.

Oh! My weakness Oh! My weakness
My weakness is my kindness. I am a very kind person.Kind by nature.
I a very down to earth individually,I am a very down to earthy personality.
I love my brother as I love myself.
I love my sister as I love myself.
I love them to reciprocate my love.

Oh! My weakness Oh! My weakness
Oh! I love people too much. So much so that they end up kicking me around like a football.Because of loving them too much,they under rate me
they under estimate me
They look down upon me
To them I a coward who comes with a tail hanging down.
The slum dog.
Oh! My weakness. My weakness is my love for the people.
I have suffered a lot ,trying to help people all the times.
But, I can't help myself. It seems I love the wrong people, who can't reciprocate my love.My love for the people is killing me.
It is said in The Holy Bible,"Do not throw pearls to swines,because they will trample on them and then come after you."
So I have to be carefully ,whom I choose to love
Although love is blind , it also needs logic.
Love also needs a foresight. Because sometimes you can get problems instead of the expected love.

Oh! My weakness Oh! My weakness
My weakness is loving people.But some children if you love too much they get spoiled.Some woman get spoiled if you show them too much love.
They take their man for granted.
They take their man for an imbecile.
They take their man for an idiot.
Some women if you treat them fairly you are a lost man.
Some wives abuses their husbands,their husbands suffer in silence.
The wives who do not know the meaning of equal rights and justice.
They use double standards.
They think about themselves only.
Selfish women!

Oh! My weakness Oh! My weakness My weakness is loving the wrong people.
Instead of receiving love and respect, I get hatred.
Some men beat the day-lights out of their women.
Beating up a woman is cowardice.
Beating up a woman is a sin.
Beating up a woman is immoral.
Women should be respected
Woman should be loved
Woman should be cherished.

Oh! My weakness Oh! My weakness

My weakness is loving children.
Children are the future.Children are the future leaders.
Children need sound , quality education.
Children need to be well brought up.
Children need to be well groomed.
Children need to be well fed.
Children need to be healthy.
Children need to be spoiled with nice things,but they should not be spoiled in character and behaviour.

My weakness is procrastination
Procrastination is the thief of time
Time is the only irreversible commodity. Time and tide wait for no man.
Strike the iron while it's still hot.
Sometimes I love the wrong people.People who are self-centered.
People who are selfish and inconsiderate.
People whose hands are full of blood.
Some people I love suffer from inferiority complex
Some people I love suffer from superiority complex
I am confused.
I don't know what to do?

Thursday, July 29, 2010

If God is like that! I don't want to hear about Him.
If you say that God created us to suffer hold your breath, you hypocrite.
God created us to enjoy life,to praise the wonders we daily and take for granted

If God is like that! I don't want to hear about Him.Hold your breath you hypocrite.He creatad us to choose the best in life.
He did not create us to suffer in silence under the cruel oppressor.
God did not create Apartheid
God did not create a race , a tribe or a nation as an island.
Man has been enslaved by his own brother because of greediness
Man has been destroyed by his greediness.
Man is suffering from obesity.Too much food. Too much of everything is very bad.

If God is like that I don't want to hear about Him
If you say God created us to die poor like those innocent souls who perished in Nagasaki and Hiroshima in Japan, I don't want to hear about Him.
The atomic bombs caused a lot of untold suffering to the Japanese.
Many Japanese were maimed
Many Japanese were bereaved
Up to this day maimed babies are still being born in Japan
Many nations have suffered the same fate as the Japanese
Shame to the innocent poor souls

If God is like that , I don't want to here about Him.
If you say He created people like Doctor Wouter Basson, Doctor Death, the chemical warfare expert to kill innocent souls because of greediness , I don't want to hear about Him.
He killed two hundred people in Namibia and threw them into Atlantic Ocean
He killed some black South Africans by injecting them with the AIDS Virus
He killed Zimbabwean freedom fighters in Mozambique with acid laced jeans..
Sometimes I wonder if AIDS is artificially or naturally.
Sometimes I wonder because I have heard about it recently

If God is like that I don't want to hear about Him
If you say that God said that people should not kill,but you , yourself you kill with impunity.You give several excuses for killing your brothers and sisters.
Greediness drives you into madness, you end up killing your kinsmen.
You say your brother has wronged you by the virtue of being born.
According to you ,your brother should have not seen the sun

Do as I say!
Do as I say my child George.I will not mislead you.
I will give you the right direction.I will put you on the right track.

Do as I say my child George
I will not miss inform you. I will give you the right data
You should be like a cassette tape recorder, it first records and then later plays.

Do as I say!
Do as I say my son George. You should listen to the class teacher,when he is teaching.He will give you a chance to speak out your mind. You can not serve two masters. You can not kill two birds with one stone.

Do as I say!
Do as I say my child George.You should be always be ready to learn.
You enjoy learning, if you show interest in the subject which you will be learning. Educaion is the key to success

Do as I say!
Do as I say my child George,if you listen properly and attentively to your class teacher you will never fail. If you follow my advice you will never regret it.
If you follow your school teacher"s instructions , you always pass with flying colours.

Do as I say !
Do as I say my child George. Your writing pen is now your modern weapon.
Your writing pen is now your modern tool. Your signature is very important.
Education is the key to success.
May God Bless you my child George.

This man is unspoiled
This man is unfoiled
THis man has got no blemishes
This man is fool of love
This man"s love is overflowing
This man"s love is everflowing
This man"s love is everlasting
Rest in peace, but not in pieces True African Man

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

It was apartheid, the force that imposed the lighter skin on top of the darker skin. The beast that used to divide and rule by furtive hairy hand. Furtive hairy hand was busted when an African brother was coronated to be the chief of staff. In his marriage with the voters an African brother made a pledge that he was gonna deliver the masses from the hole of poverty to golden chairs around the throne of the kingdom.

16 years later I witness slavery chairs around the palace of gravy train. Then xenophobia sprout in the land of promise. The rumour says that the first line-up of African brothers in gravy train is the cause as they lost the game. Another rumour says that the hairy hand is back in motion. As it becomes a mystery, why don't we skin the hairy hand to reveal the colour beneath the hair? Then the mystery will be solved once and for all.

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Ubuntu! Ubuntu!
Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu
Ubuntu bubalulekile emuphakathini
Ubuntu yimvelo
Ubuntu buhle
Ubuntu is very important. Ubuntu is self-respect
Ubuntu is to respect other people. Ubuntu is to love one another
Ubuntu is not selfish. Ubuntu is soud personality.

Ubuntu! Ubuntu!
Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu
Ubuntu is very important. Ubuntu is part and parcel of personality
Ubuntu is part and parcel of good life
Ubuntu is the custodian of good African morals which embraces love, respect and trustUbuntu is loving your neighbour as you love yourself
Ubuntu denounces crime. Ubuntu denounces prostitution.

Ubuntu! Ubuntu!
Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu. Ubuntu makes a person to be part and parcel of the society. Ubuntu makes people to be conscious minded. Ubuntu makes a person to be proud of his roots.
Ubuntu is a sign of maturity. Ubuntu is a sign of being well -brought -up
Ubuntu is asign of being well-groomed. Ubuntu is good for everyone.
Respect is reciprocated by Ubuntu..

Like weatherman, newsman predicts a tomorrow that will be overcast bythunderstorm, whereby a brother willshed blood of another brother. Whilein a nap my dream encourages me toshake a hand with another brother. Tomorrow comes with a sun parading abroad smile in a clear blue sky.

It becomes clear to me that the newsmanis the prophet of doom whose predictionhas missed the point.

Like civil engineer sampling the soil fortomorrow's benefit, newsman speculate ahome soil covering a whistle bomb that willexplode after the final whistle. Then the finalwhistle champions the moment but, thewhistle bomb never grill the masses in apot of violence. Then I follow my dream asI give another brother a kiss of love as,

It becomes clear to me that the newsman isa prophet of doom bent on making more profit.

Through the years of the struggle for African liberation, the art of writing has been a strong tool that many countries and intellectuals have you used in order to express themselves and get the message through to the masses. This art has been in the forefront on shaping our intellects and preserving the history of our people. But due to mass media and technology African resistant writing has seen its decline in the recent years and many writers loosing interest in it, going for a more commercial market.

Are we seeing a dead end of African literature? Or are we loosing the vision on what words are meant to do? These are the questions that are lingering on as many generations of writers are born in Africa. Hence the African Wright-Us forum is interested in hosting a workshop on Resistance Writing and the future of Pan African literature. This will be in partnership with Ruyedzo Mutizwa who wrote the Gukurahundi Ideology (Why Zimbabwe is in Crisis). On this workshop we will be looking at writing as a tool of resistance and how can that influence today's social movements and activists on advancing the struggle for African liberation. We are also going to be looking at different African writers who have produced great works in the past whose influence still lives today.

Through this workshop we are aiming at achieving a standpoint for the Post-modern African Writers, reverberating their influence to the social struggle. We would like to use the space as a platform for writers to echo their voices while defining their destiny.

Ke nako! Let us celebrate African Humanity
Now it's the time, let's celebrate African Humanity
Let us celebrate the 2010 FIFA World Cup
Let us celebrate in style

Ke nako! Let us celebrate African Humanity
Now it's the time! Let us celebrate African Humanity
Vuvuzela! Vuvuzela! Vuvuzela! Go!
It's right here in South Africa let us see it
It's right here on the African soil, let us feel it
It's right here in South Africa, feel it
All nations with different national flags celebrate with the Rainbow Nation

Halala! Halala! Thatha Madiba for bringing us the 2010 World Cup tournament
We are all happy and celebrating the unique event in Africa.The 2010 World Cup fever is spreading from Cape to Cairo, from Argentina to Italy, from Brazil to Greece, from Uruguay to Netherlands, from South Africa to Spain

Ke nako! Let us celebrate African Humanity
Now it's the time! Let's celebrate African Humanity
Let's accept that in every game there is a winner and a loser
Let us accept the decision made by referees
Let the referees be not biased against any team
The referees should have. no favouritism
The referees should be impartial in their handling of the football matches

Ke nako! Let us celebrate African Humanity
Now it's the time! Let's celebrate African Humanity
The football players should play a fair game.

I feel dizzy, when I remember foreigners’ shacks being burnt down by madmen. I remember seeing the walking devils doing what they like most: destroying people's lives. Looting poor people's goods.

I had never imagined that men born by a woman could be so cruel to their fellow African brothers and sisters.

Xenophobia! Xenophobia!

I feel naked and insecure if I think about Xenophobia.

Yesterday we were crying about the slave drivers.

Yesterday we were crying about slavery.

Yesterday we were crying about colonialism

Yesterday we were crying about neo-colonialism

But today we have turned against each other. We are fighting Africans versus Africans. This is great tragedy in African History The world is watching. We are at the centre stage. We are always in the mass media for the wrong reasons. The world is saying "Look at the fools they sing about a United Africa

Friday, July 16, 2010

Khanya College launched the first edition of Jozi Book Fair (JBF) in August 2009 in collaboration with Botsotso Publishers at Museum Africa. Khanya College will host JBF 2010 at Museum Africa on the 7th, 8th and 9th August.

The overall objective of Jozi Book Fair is to provide a public and visible platform where three key social partners in the promotion of a culture of reading and writing can come together. These social partners are:

readers in the form of the general public and specific constituencies within this broad public,

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Afrika Writers Forum was founded as a platform for writers and readers at Khanya College Resource Centre in May 2009. The Forum started with informal meetings of writers and artists from Zimbabwe, Congo, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa at the library in the sixth floor of the House of Movement, 123 Pritchard Street in Johannesburg. The Forum is a platform where writers can discuss and proliferate their skills in the art of writing and find ways how to publish their texts. The writers meet on Wednesdays and Fridays from 14–16h in the library of the House of Movements, discussing various issues concerning writing, editing and publishing their writings.

about

Afrika Writers Forum was founded as a platform for writers and readers at Khanya College Resource Centre in May 2009. The Forum started with informal meetings of writers and artists from Zimbabwe, Congo, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa in the library of the House of Movements. It is a platform where writers can discuss and proliferate their skills in the art of writing and find ways how to publish their texts. The writers meet on Wednesdays and Fridays from 14–16h in the sixth floor, 123 Pritchard Street, Johannesburg.